Alejandra Gonzalez of New Mexico was the first-runner up, and Oklahoma’s Triana Browne the second-runner up during the competition Thursday night in Reno, Nevada.

Kryst earned a law degree and an MBA at Wake Forest University before becoming a civil litigation attorney who does pro bono work to reduce sentences for inmates.

The 27-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, said during the final round that she was glad to be competing in Nevada because it’s the first and only state in the nation with female majorities in both houses of the state legislature.

____

6:45 p.m.

The three finalists in this year’s Miss USA competition are from North Carolina, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

Miss North Carolina Cheslie Kryst earned a law degree and an MBA at Wake Forest University before becoming a civil litigation attorney who does pro bono work to reduce sentences for inmates.

Miss Oklahoma Triana Browne says she’s a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation whose father is white and mother is African American. She’s in a partnership with Nike to promote a brand that celebrates Native American heritage.

Miss New Mexico Alejandra Gonzalez has a master’s degree in accounting and founded a nonprofit that teaches children the importance of being literate.

One of them soon will be crowned the winner in Reno, Nevada, by the reigning Miss USA, Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska.

____

6:35 p.m.

Only five women remain in the field of 51 Miss USA contestants who started Thursday night’s competition in Reno, Nevada.

They are Miss Arkansas, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina and Oklahoma.

They survived both the swimsuit and evening gown competitions to advance to the second-to-last round, where three finalists will be selected.

The winner will represent the United States in the Miss Universe contest.

Miss Nevada Tianna Tuamoheloa of Las Vegas is the first woman of Samoan decent to ever compete in the event that dates to 1952.

____

6 p.m.

Ten women still have a chance to be crowned the next Miss America.

They are Miss Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and the District of Columbia

An all-female panel of judges selected them Thursday night from a field of 15 following the swimsuit competition at a hotel-casino in Reno, Nevada.

Only five will advance to the next round before the three finalists are announced.

The reigning Miss USA, Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska, will crown the winner.

____

5:35 p.m.

The field of 51 contestants at the Miss USA pageant has been cut to 15.

They are Miss Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

The last of the 15 qualifiers announced Thursday night at a hotel-casino in Reno was Miss Nevada Tianna Tuamoheloa of Las Vegas. She’s the first woman of Samoan decent to ever compete in the event that dates to 1952.

The narrowing of the field was based on their performance in a series of events earlier in the week.

The 15 qualifiers now advance to the next round, where the field will be cut to 10, then five before the three finalists are announced.

The reigning Miss USA, Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska, will crown the winner.

___

5 p.m.

The Miss USA pageant is underway in Reno, Nevada.

The 51 contestants from each U.S. state and the District of Columbia are competing for the title and the right to represent the United States in the Miss Universe contest.

Vanessa and Nick Lachey are serving as hosts of the two-hour, nationally televised event at a hotel-casino.

The full field will be cut initially to 15, then 10, then five before the three finalists are selected. The reigning Miss USA, Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska, will crown the winner.

It’s the first time the competition that dates to 1952 has been held in Reno. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve is among the all-female panel of judges.

This year’s contestants include a psychological operations expert in the Army reserves, a former NFL cheerleader working to become a surgical nurse and a lawyer who represents prisoners for free.

___

11 a.m.

The women who want to be crowned the next Miss USA on Thursday include a psychological operations expert in the Army reserves, a former NFL cheerleader working to become a surgical nurse and a lawyer who represents some prisoners for free.

There’s also an ex-professional ballerina who worked as a style expert for the Home Shopping Network, a portrait artist with a second-degree black belt in taekwondo and the first woman of Samoan decent to compete for the title.

The 51 contestants from each U.S. state and the District of Columbia will take the stage in Reno, which is holding the event for the first time. Vanessa and Nick Lachey will serve as hosts, and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve is among the all-female panel of judges.

The field of contestants will be cut to 15 at the start of the two-hour broadcast based on their performances during preliminary rounds.